John Charles Schilling's Obituary
Lt. Col. John Charles Schilling
John Charles Schilling of Scappoose, Oregon died January 29th, 2008 in Portland Oregon at the age of 88 years. John was born on April 14th, 1919 in Palo-Alto, California to Carl Augustus Schilling and Lola Almeda Burkhart. John had a younger brother, Robert Charles Schilling.
John graduated from Balboa High School in San Francisco. As a young man, he worked as a bank officer for Bank of America in the import/export business. He also worked as a civilian electrician in the naval shipyards.
John was married at St. Matthews Catholic Church on August 24th, 1940 in San Mateo, California to Alice Ellen Cottrell. They honeymooned on Catalina Island. Together they had a daughter and two sons - Doreen Olson, John C. Schilling Jr., and David Schilling. They also have three grandchildren; Gordon, Robert and Chris Olson.
John retired in 1970 as a Lieutenant Colonel from the United States Air Force after serving approximately 30 years. He was a career navigator who flew missions in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, and took great pride in his ability to do navigation well, and so did the people that worked with him. He was highly decorated.
In the later part of 1970, after a brief stay in Bend, Oregon, John and Alice moved to Diamond Lake, Washington where they spent the remaining years of their life together. He built his own house on three adjacent lots at Diamond Lake, and they enjoyed the surroundings. They never learned to swim. John was very active in the Diamond Lake Beach Club, of which he served as president.
John and Alice regularly attended St Anthony's Catholic Church in Newport, Washington, and gave quite a lot of assistance to the construction on the new parish. They were able to celebrate their 50 year wedding anniversary with a reaffirmation of their vows in the new church which pleased them greatly. John and Alice celebrated their 50th Golden Wedding Anniversary and spent the time at their favorite place, Glacier National Park in Montana, with their youngest son, daughter, daughter in-law, and grandchildren. They were quite active in the church from 1971 until Alice passed in 1990, and John continued to be so until his move from Diamond Lake to Scappoose, Oregon in 2002.
John loved to work in the garden. He grew highly prized Dahlias, Roses, and Begonias. He enjoyed watching birds – especially Humming birds. He was so prominent in the garden that birds would come take a bath on the hose nozzle he was holding while watering the yard – they felt that comfortable!
John also loved to travel, and took trips to Europe, the Middle East, and numerous destinations in the United States with friends and family. John was truly loved by all that knew him. He was a generous and honorable man.
John was preceded in death by his wife Alice, son John Jr, grandson Robert Olson and brother Bob Schilling. He is survived by his daughter Doreen Olson, son & daughter-in-law David & Adrienne Schilling, grandsons Gordon & Chris Olson.
With love, Booney Kasoup and the Bird-dog.
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